Key ideas
- The main line is 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3, the Paulsen Attack. White follows with Nc3, Bd2 and long castling, aiming for an attack with the king safe on the queenside.
- Black's most natural reply is 4...Nf6, the Berger Variation, followed by ...Bb4, ...O-O and ...Re8 to put pressure on e4 and the e-file.
- White can also avoid the early queen move with 3.Nf3 or 3.Bc4, offering a pawn for development, while 3.c3 leads to the Danish Gambit.
- The ...d5 break is Black's standard way to free the position once development is complete, since it opens lines while White's king is still settling.
Plans for White
Put the queen on e3, develop with Nc3, Bd2 and long castling, and use the half-open d-file against Black's d-pawn.
Plans for Black
Develop with tempo: ...Nc6 hits the queen, ...Nf6 and ...Bb4 pressure e4, and ...Re8 adds to it. Prepare ...d5 to open the centre.